Firefighters Gain Ground on Oregon Wildfire; California's Wine Country Blazes Contained
A wildfire that destroyed four homes in central Oregon is starting to stabilize, while a blaze in Northern California wine country has so far spared some of the state’s most famous vineyards.
Moisture helped the 1,200 firefighters battling Oregon’s Flat Fire bring the situation under control, but more work remains to be done.
The fire, which has already charred 88 square kilometers of rugged terrain in Deschutes and Jefferson counties since it began late Thursday, continues to pose a threat due to dry, hot weather conditions.
Travis Medema, the state’s chief deputy state fire marshal, expressed gratitude for Mother Nature's assistance at a community meeting in Sisters.
"The incident, for the first time in the last three days, is really beginning to stabilize," he said.
Although firefighters have established protective lines around the entire fire, they remain at five percent containment.
Evacuation orders were previously issued for over 4,000 homes but were lifted for some areas in the evening.
A heat advisory remains in place through Wednesday, and forecasters warn that potential thunderstorms may create erratic winds that will challenge firefighters.
In Northern California, the Pickett Fire has burned approximately 26 square kilometers of remote Napa County.
Despite initial concerns, the fire has not damaged any vineyards due to favorable wind conditions.
Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre wines shared his close call on Thursday when the flames erupted and quickly spread along nearby slopes.
Fortunately, firefighters were able to protect his property in time.
In southwest Montana, a 60-year-old contract firefighter from Oregon died on Sunday afternoon while battling the Bivens Creek fire.
The fire, which has burned around nine square kilometers since August 13, continues to pose significant challenges due to thick timber and numerous dead trees.
The ongoing heat wave in the western United States has further complicated firefighting efforts.
Residents have been experiencing dangerous temperatures throughout the weekend, particularly in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.
In Multnomah County, Oregon, authorities are investigating a 56-year-old man's death as possibly heat-related.
In central California, the Gifford Fire is now at 95 percent containment after charring nearly 534 square kilometers of dry brush in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on August 1.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
While it can be challenging to directly tie individual fires or weather events to climate change, scientists agree that human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels is contributing to more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn increase the likelihood of destructive wildfires.
The fire, which has already charred 88 square kilometers of rugged terrain in Deschutes and Jefferson counties since it began late Thursday, continues to pose a threat due to dry, hot weather conditions.
Travis Medema, the state’s chief deputy state fire marshal, expressed gratitude for Mother Nature's assistance at a community meeting in Sisters.
"The incident, for the first time in the last three days, is really beginning to stabilize," he said.
Although firefighters have established protective lines around the entire fire, they remain at five percent containment.
Evacuation orders were previously issued for over 4,000 homes but were lifted for some areas in the evening.
A heat advisory remains in place through Wednesday, and forecasters warn that potential thunderstorms may create erratic winds that will challenge firefighters.
In Northern California, the Pickett Fire has burned approximately 26 square kilometers of remote Napa County.
Despite initial concerns, the fire has not damaged any vineyards due to favorable wind conditions.
Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre wines shared his close call on Thursday when the flames erupted and quickly spread along nearby slopes.
Fortunately, firefighters were able to protect his property in time.
In southwest Montana, a 60-year-old contract firefighter from Oregon died on Sunday afternoon while battling the Bivens Creek fire.
The fire, which has burned around nine square kilometers since August 13, continues to pose significant challenges due to thick timber and numerous dead trees.
The ongoing heat wave in the western United States has further complicated firefighting efforts.
Residents have been experiencing dangerous temperatures throughout the weekend, particularly in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.
In Multnomah County, Oregon, authorities are investigating a 56-year-old man's death as possibly heat-related.
In central California, the Gifford Fire is now at 95 percent containment after charring nearly 534 square kilometers of dry brush in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on August 1.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
While it can be challenging to directly tie individual fires or weather events to climate change, scientists agree that human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels is contributing to more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn increase the likelihood of destructive wildfires.
